St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-25
A Powerful Secret Society
Founded on the Love Of
Damon and Pythias.
Something Of the History Of
Champion Lodge No. 10,
Knights Of Pythias.
Founded Ten Years Ago it Has
Rapidly Grown, and Boasts
Many Leading Citizens.
A List Of the Present Officers
and Past Chancellors of
This Lodge.

Prominent among the secret societies
of the present time is the fraternity
known as the Knights of Pythias, and
among the thirty or more chapters of
that order in Minnesota there is none
more prosperous, or IN better condition,
than Champion lodge No. IS, of this city.
1t is one of the boasts of the order that
among its members are found the best
and most energetic of the young men OF
the country, and Champion lOdge'is Ger
tainly not behind the order as whole
in this respect.
The first foothold of the order was
gained in July, 1870, when Minneapolis
Lodge No. was organized. The order
in the past seventeen years has grown
from that Duny organization until it
stands among the leading secret socie-
ties of the state. The growth of the
order was not particularly rapid in the
period from 1870 to 1880, and Champion
lodge, founded in February, 1877, was
No. Is in the list of chapters in the
state and now ranks as 18th in that re-
spect.
The preliminary meeting for organi-
zation was held on the evening of Feb.
elected chancellor commander: W. D.
Rogers, vice chancellor: B. Fl. Badger,
prelate; Bernard Dassel, keeper of
records and seals; w. II. McLain,
master of exchequer; Fl. S. Finn,
master of finance; S. Lee Davis and A.
Fl. Taisey, post chancellors: H. Birm-
ingham, master at arms; E. Milham, in
side guard, and W. II. Cook, outside
guard. At this meeting the name
Champion lodge was decided upon, and
arrangements made for the installation
of the lodge by the grand chancellor of
the state, and also for the initiation of
number of new members. This prelim-
mary meeting was made up entirely of
old members, as the constitution of the
order expressly provides that eff any
lodge is already in existence in the
place proposed for the location of the
new lodge it shall require ten knights
as petitioners, and the other lodge or
lodges in such place shall be notified of
such petition"
On the evening of Feb. "a, 1877, the
installation came off. Champion lodge
No. - was installed by Grand Chancel-
lor A. A. Ames, assisted by Past Grand
Chancellor E. McDermitt, Vice Chancel-
lor D. j. Tallant, Prelate Monroe Sheire,
r. August, grand keeper of records and
seals; D. Goodman, master of finance;
Ed A. Stevens, master of exchequer: j.
outside guard. The initiates that even
ing were: E. Milham, j. G. Hamilton,
s. S. Wright, .. Drewry, A. Bailey, A.
H. Taisey, E. R. Peterson, j. B. Horton,
G.. S. Uline and Mr.. Keller. Of these
initiates MesSrs. Milham and Drewry
are the only ones still on the rolls at
the end of the first ten years of the
lodge.
The lodge now has membership of
something over sixty, and of these sixty
there is a uniform rank numbering
about fifty. This was organized May 1,
1884, as the ST. Paul Division No. 2. Uni
form rank, and ranks higher than the
knights, and is really the highest de-
gree that can be taken in subordinate
lodges. 1t started in 1884 with thirty
two members, and was instituted by
Mayor Ames, then captain of North
Star Division No. 1. The first officers
were: j. W. Magin, captain; Joseph
Touch, first lieutenant; M. Reanleahn,
second lieutenant; E. S. Radcliffe, right
guard; M. E. Ferrey. recorder, and w.
G. Gilmore, treasurer. This board held
until Feb. 1, 1885, when e. S. Radcliffe
was elected first lieutenant, the balance
holding over. In February. 1886, E. S.
w
TOllman, first lieutenant; III. Myers,
second lieutenant. and D. P. Roussa-
falOns, guard.
E. S. Radcliffe was appointed on Gen.
Carnahan's staff and G. B. Hays was re-
elected captain; Fl, Myers, first lieuten-
ant; J. G. Clements, second lieutenant,
and r. Eldridge, guard. The member
ship is now over fifty.
One important feature of the order is
the endowment rank. This provides
the cheapest and most reliable life in
surance to the members of the order.
In the Champion lodge this is working
with great success and more than one
half of the members of the lodge are
also members of the endowment rank.
The officers are: FL. S. Finn, presi-
dent; III. F. Bailey, vice president; E.
s. Radcliffe. secretary and treasurer,
and DR.. A. P. Kean. medical examiner.
The meetings of the lodge are held
once each week in Pythian hall, on East
Fifth street. This hall is elegantly
furnished and equipped, and is said to
be and undoubtedly is the finest society
hall in the Northwest. This hall takes
up the whole of the third floor of the F.
B. Clarke building and comprises nine
rooms, including reception rooms. ante
rooms, etc. The total cost of fitting up
this magnificent hall was something
over $1,000. This was planned, execu-
ted, and is kept up by stock company.
made UP from the three lodges of the
order in st. Paul, the Champion. the
Webster, and the Terrace City lodges.
The officers of the Pythian Hall associa-
ton are President, Joseph Rothchild:
vice president, A. Pompeny: secretary,
G. j. Hughson. and Mark E. Ferry,
treasurer. The hall is leased to other
societies and is occupied nearly everv
evening of the week. 1t pays good
dividend on the investment, and is con-
sidered very wise move, as it has Sc
cured first-class quarters for the lodges
at very low rates.
The present board of officers were in
stalled Jan. ~, 1887, and hold until the
beginning of next year. They are:
District deputy, Fl. S. Finn; chancellor
commander, E. S. Radcliffe; vice chah-
cellor, W. HI. Mcdonald: prelate, D. p.
ROussapolvus; master of finance, Mark
E. Ferrey; keeper of records and seal,